EU citizenship should not be for sale says European Parliament

By Richmond Chambers

16 Jan 2014

The European Parliament has passed a resolution on what it sees as the problem of some member states introducing schemes which, either directly or indirectly, result in the sale of EU citizenship to third-country nationals.

The resolution, which was passed by an overwhelming majority of 560 votes to 22, with 44 abstentions, provides for the following:

EU citizenship must not have a "price tag" attached to it. MEPs are concerned about schemes established by various EU member states and in particular Malta, which result in the sale of national, and hence EU, citizenship. The Parliament has called on the Commission to state clearly whether these schemes respect the letter and spirit of the EU treaties and EU rules on non-discrimination.

Parliament stressed that the rights conferred by EU citizenship, such as the right to move and reside freely within the EU, should not be treated as a "tradable commodity". EU citizenship implies having a stake in the EU and depends on a person’s ties with the EU and its member states or on personal ties with EU citizens.

Parliament called on the European Commission to state clearly whether these schemes respect the letter and spirit of the EU treaties and the Schengen Borders Code, as well as EU rules on non-discrimination. It asked the Commission to issue recommendations to prevent such schemes from undermining the EU’s founding values, as well as guidelines on granting access to EU citizenship via national schemes.

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